CHESTER, PA — Today, Senator John Kane announced that two Chester-based organizations will receive laptops through Pennsylvania’s Digital Connectivity Technology Program to bridge the digital divide in Delaware County.
The Chester Education Foundation will receive 25 laptops, and the Delaware County Literacy Council will receive 60 laptops. These devices will be distributed to community members who lack access to digital technology.
“These grants represent a significant step forward in ensuring our community members have the tools they need to succeed in today’s digital world,” said Senator Kane. “Both the Chester Education Foundation and Delaware County Literacy Council play vital roles in our community, and these resources will help them expand their reach to create life-changing impacts across our Commonwealth.”
The laptops are part of a broader statewide initiative by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) to provide digital access to communities where affordability presents a barrier to broadband adoption. Through the new program, the PBDA will purchase and distribute $20 million in laptops to eligible public-facing institutions — including libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, nonprofits, and other community anchor institutions — in areas where affordability limits broadband adoption. These institutions will then make the laptops available to individuals who lack the technology needed to access the internet.
Recipients will provide digital skills training to community members, though participation is optional.
For more information about the Digital Connectivity Technology Program, visit the PBDA website at www.broadband.pa.gov.